Water heater



W. D. EGG LESTON Nov. 9 1926.

WATER HEATER Filed May 1. 1924 4' i i e) W. D E9 9 leaf/or Lethal? WILLIAM 1 EGGLESTON, OF GREAT FALLS, MONTANA.

WATER HEATER.

Application filed. May 1,

This invention relates to improvements in water heating apparatus, and more particularly to a novel arrangement of cut-off valves, drain valves, and a wash out connection, whereby the heating system may be operated with safety. The heating system embodying the invention is of that type 1neluding a boiler or pressure tank, and a system of piping leading into the fire box of an adjacent range or furnace, whereby hot water will be delivered to and accumulated in the said boiler or tank from which it may be drawn in the usual manner. Ordinarily, in such systems, and particularly where en1 ployed in extremely cold climates or where the available water supply contains salts which will cause the formation of scale, serious damage is often caused through attempt to operate the system without knowledge that the pipes are clogged and completely closed with scale, or the water in the pipes is frozen. Likewise such systems do not ordinarily embody any means to permit of flushing of the pipes with boiler cleaning compounds, to remove scale and arrest the accunmlation thereof.

in consideration of the foregoing, the present invention has as one of its objects to provide an arrangement of valves in a water heating system of the type referred to by which arrangement one may readily determine whether or not there will be a proper circulation of water through the system when placed in operation by the building of a fire in the range or furnace.

Another important object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the pipes of the system may be flushed with boiler cleaning compounds for the purpose of removing the scale which has accumulated thereinilnother object of the invention is to provide means whereby the system may be completely drained so that there will be no likelihood of rusting of the pipes when the system is not in use during the warmer months.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange the pipes which extend into the range or furnace, as to greatly facilitate circulation of water through the system and likewise assist in such circulation at the time the system is flushed with a boiler cleaning compound.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the heat-- ing system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view through the means provided for flushing the pipes of the system with boiler cleaning compound.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a boiler or pressure tank of the ordinary construction and the numeral 2 indicates either a range or a furnace adjacent which the tank is installed. A. pipe 3 is, in accordance with the present invention, placed in communication with the said boiler or pres sure tank 1 and l kewise in communication with the casing of acut-ofi valve indicated by the numeral 1. A short length of pipe 5 establishes connection between the said cut-oil valve l and a union which supports a faucet 6, and another shortlength of pipe 7 establishes communication between the faucet 6 and a union 8. The union 8 const tutes a part of the device provided for introducing cleaning compound into the pipes of the system, and as will be observed by reference to Figure 2 of the drawing,

posite ends so as to accommodate, at one end, the pipe 7 heretofore referred to, and at its other end to accommodate a p pe which is indicated by the numeral 9 and which will presently be more fully described. The said union includes an upstanding short branch 10 which is threaded to receive the exteriorly threaded neck 11 of a relat vely shallow and conically flared funnel 12. The neck 11 is interiorly threaded at the bottom of the bowl of the funnel as indicated by the numeral 13, and the threaded lower end 14 ofa closure plug 15 is removably fitted into this portion of the neck, the plug being provided at its upper end with a polygonal portion 16 for the application of a wrench whereby it may be conveniently removed and replaced as oocasion may require.

The pipe 9 leads downwardly at a suitable angle of inclination within the waterb'aek of the range or furnace, as indicated by the numeral 17, and its end is fitted into one end. of an elbow coupling 18. A pipe 19 is fitted at one end into the other end of the elbow coupling and is inclined downwardly at a suitable angle of inclination,

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the union is threaded interiorly at its 0pand at its opposite end connects with a union in communication with the casing of a faucet 20. A short pipe 21 is fitted into the opposite side of the union and at its ther end is placed in communication with the casing of a cut-off valve 22. A pipe 23 leads from the opposite side of the casing of the cut-off valve and to the lower porion of the boiler or pressure tank 1.

With both faucets 6 and 520 closed, the plug fitted in place in the neck of the funnel 12, and both valves 1 and 22 open, water will circulate through the system as in any other system of this general type. In order to determine whether or not the pipes are clogged or the water therein is frozen so as to prevent circulation, the cutoff valve 1 is closed and the cut-oil valve is opened, after which the faucet 6 is opened. If the system is in proper worl-zing condition, water will flow from: the boiler or pressure tank 1 past the valve and faucet and through the pipes 19 and 17 and out through the faucet 6. This will, of course, indicate that the pipes are open for circulation. This fact may likewise be determined by opening the cut-off valve i, closing the cut-off valve 22, and opening the faucet 20, the faucet 6 being closed. It will be understood that the faucets 6 and 20 are so constructed that even though the faucets be closed, there will be a free circulation of water past the same and through the pipe system.

In order to flush the system with cleaning compound, the cut-off valves a and 22 are both permitted to remain closed, and

the system is drained by opening both of the faucets 6 and 20. After the system has been drained, the faucets 6 and 20 are closed and the plug 15 is then removed and a suitable quantity of any appropriate boiler cleaning compound is poured into the system through the funnel 12, the faucets 6 and 20 having previously been closed after drainage of the system. After the boiler cleaning compound has been introduced into the system, the plug 15 is replaced, and the valve t is opened to admit from the boiler 1 a sufficient volume of water? to carry the cleaning compound into the pipes 17 and 19 and the other pipes associated therewith in the system, until that portion of the system beyond the valves 4 and 22 is filled with cleaning compound. The cleaning compound is then permitted to remain in the pipes of the system a suitable length of time whereupon the faucet 20 is opened which will provide for circulation of hot water from the boiler 1 through the pipes thus flushing the pipes and removing the cleaning compound and the scale which has been removed thereby. Gf course, before introducing the cleaning compound, it is necessary to cool tie pipe system and this may be done by opening the valve 22, closing the valve l, closing the faucet 20, and opening the faucet 6 so that cold water will be forced through the pipes 19 and 17 from the lower portion of the boiler and effect cooling of the pipes.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1- In a water heater, a vertically disposed storage tank, and a water circulating and heat-absorbing unit formed of connected pipe sections and having communication with the bottom and upper portion of said storage tank, said unit being substantially U-shaped for the major portion of its length and having its ll-shaped portion extending substantially horizontal with its arms. disposed one above the other and diverging towards the tank, cut-off valves in said arms adjacent said tank, faucets in said arms adjacent the outer ends of said valves, and an inlet for a cleaning compound disposed in the upper arm adjacent the outer end of the cut-off valve disposed therein and provided with a closure adapted to be moved into and out of aclosing position.

2. In a water heating system, a vertically disposed storage tank, an outlet pipe communicating with the bottom of said tank and extending upwardly at one side there of, a cut-off valve connected with the upper end of said outlet pipe, a faucet, nipple connecting said faucet with said valve, a U-shaped heat-absorbing unit formed of pipe and extending substantially horizontally in a vertical plane with its arms disposed one above the other and diverging towards the storage tank, the lower arm communicating with said nipple through said faucet, a union carried by the upper arm, a funnel carried by said union and provided with a closure adapted to be moved into and out of a closing position, an upper faucet, a nipple connecting said upper faucet with the other end of said union from said upper arm, an upper cutoff valve and a nipple connecting the same with said upper faucet, and a nipple leading from the upper cut-0E valve and com municating with the upper portion of said storage tank.

In testimony whereof I ture.

aflii: my signa iVlLLlAlif D. EGGLES'l-Oll.

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